Electronic Magazine of Multicultural Education
SPRING 2001 http://www.eastern.edu/publications/emme Vol. 3, No. 1
Theme: International Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity
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Electronic Magazine of Multicultural Education SPRING 2001 http://www.eastern.edu/publications/emme Vol. 3, No. 1 Theme: International Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity |
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This
Issue | Articles
| Instructional
Ideas | Reviews
| Contributors
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| Denny
| Chang
and Dodd | Haug
| Mason
| Wlazlinski
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[ Literature for Young Readers | Professional Literature | Films and Videos | Websites ]
REVIEWS OF RESOURCES
FilipoviC, Zlata. (1995). Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo. New York: Viking. 200 pp., ISBN: 0140242058 (pb), $9.95 (ages 10-up).
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The diary was begun by an innocent 11-year-old girl during a peaceful time but soon took a roller coast ride with the author once the civil war broke out in Sarajevo. Not understanding the politics behind the ethnic strife, Zlata agonized over destruction, death, hunger, fear, separation, and anger caused by the war. Her ignorance of ethnic differences was initially rooted in her cross-ethnic relationships she had developed prior to the war. Yet her increased ethnic consciousness did not leave her in the land of "blissful ignorance": "Among my girlfriends, among our friends, in our family, there are Serbs and Croats and Muslims. It's a mixed group and I never knew who was a Serb, a Croat or a Muslim. Now politics has started meddling around" (pp. 102-103). This book is an engaging and insightful writing of a teenager, that covers various issues of an pre-adolescent life--and a life in general--under a war. |
Gordon, Sheila. (1987). Waiting for the Rain. New York: Bantam. 214 pp., ISBN: 0440226988 (pb), $5.50 (ages 10-16).
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Waiting
for the Rain is a brilliantly written South African juvenile novel
that contributes to the discourse on the broader social issues of our
times. The book highlights and brings to life the tragedy and
inhumanity of racial discrimination through the story of two boyhood
friends. In this book, Sheila Gordon narrates nine years in the
lives of two South African youths, Tengo and Frikkie. Tengo is an
inspired black youth who is desperate for education and has a deep concern
for the plight of his people under apartheid; Frikkie is a white Afrikaner
who has dreams of inheriting his uncle's farm with Tengo as his
"boss-boy." The two boys' friendship originated on
Frikkie's uncle's farm where Tengo's father worked. Through their
interactions on the farm, the boys became close friends. Their
friendship ends in a vehement face-to-face meeting when Frikkie is sent as
part of the police force to quell a student uprising and turns out to be a
police chasing Tengo. Despite the story's contrived, unpredictable,
and disappointing conclusion most
readers would appreciate the intent of the book and the contributions
which the novel brought to the international forefront. Waiting
for the Rain's contribution cannot be ignored, in particular, since
the book made its mark at the time of South Africa's great social and
political uncertainty. John Mokonyama, Librarian, Eastern College |
McKissack, Patricia C. (2000). Nzingha-Warrior Queen of
Matamba. New York: Scholastic. 136 pp., ISBN: 0439112109 (hc), $10.95 (ages
10-16).
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McKissack provides a welcomed addition to teen literature with her historical account of the life of a young woman of the Mbundu people from present-day Angola. Set in the late 16th century, the book not only portrays Nzingha’s personal activities, joys, and fears but also her pride as she struggled against Portuguese colonialism. The book depicts a poignant account of a young woman approaching the time for marriage but avoids common gender stereotypes by revealing an individual who loves hunting and defending her people. The historical fiction also details the colonial experience and fears of slavery in a profound, yet personalized, manner. Including actual photographs and a historical summation, this work is one of the few realistic portrayals in teen literature of colonial and pre-colonial Africa. The book serves as a publication which will be highly appealing to many youth as well as educational as a great supplement for classroom use. |
Orlev, Uri. (1992). The Island on Bird Street. Boston: Houghton
Mifflin. 162 pp., ISBN: 0395616239 (pb), $5.95 (ages 10-16).
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This book is based on the author's personal account of forced hiding in a Warsaw ghetto at age 11 during Nazi occupation from 1939-1941. It is filled with the tension and sadness of the author’s life experiences including his mother being killed and himself being sent with his brother to a concentration camp. Drawing the reader into the story on a personal level, the author asks his readers early on to imagine themselves in his situation. He proceeds realistically to describe both the physical and emotional situation surrounding him. Tension and fear of the occupying military combines with abominable physical conditions to portray a living account of lives ruined by the Nazis. In the face of this injustice, only the character’s hope enables him to survive. It is a strong story based on real experience which will affect many young readers and assist in teaching the dangers of ethnic intolerance. |
Watson, Yoko Kawashima. (1986). So Far from the Bamboo
Grove. New York: Beach Tree. 183 pp., ISBN: 0688131158 (pb), $4.95 (ages
10-14).
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This is a personal account of the author’s flight from northern Korea during World War II. Yoko is a eleven-year-old Japanese born in northern Korea, a land colonized earlier by Japan. At the time of Yoko’s story, Korea is seeking a return of their homeland. Without knowledge of past history, Yoko is caught in the middle of war and is forced to flee her home and peaceful childhood. This book traces her journey of survival through a life of war and struggle. This vivid account of the problems and merciless circumstances of war is also a story of courage and hope, which may affect many readers emotionally. Although Yoko is Japanese, her book is not a depiction of Japan as a victim. Instead, it is also critical of the Japanese government, holding it partially responsible for the ravages of the war. Aside from assigning blame, it is a realistic portrait of the savagery and destruction which ethnic conflict and war bring to all groups involved, including children innocent of past history. |
Ghai, Yesh. (Ed.). (2000). Autonomy and
Ethnicity:
Negotiating Competing Claims in Multi-ethnic States. Cambridge UK: Cambridge
University. 312 pp., ISBN: 0521786428 (pb), $22.95.
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This collection of essays utilizes case studies to examine how a variety of modern, multi-ethnic countries have attempted to organize issues of ethnicity within the politics of a nation-state. By probing into the issue and role of ethnicity in the political development and construction of nations, each essay addresses the importance of the state in negotiating ethnic consciousness, equity, opportunity, and power. The essays collectively provide insightful analyses of various situations and issues related to modern ethnic conflict such as ethnic oppression, power sharing, types of ethnic representation in government, integration, and assimilation. Particular focus is given to the political notion of autonomy, arguing that autonomy is frequently both desired and resisted in arenas of ethnic conflict and lies at the center of negotiating solutions in various forms. Examples from a wide variety of nations are explored in order to grasp the diversity of experiences in the world regarding ethnic conflict and political organization. This book would benefit individuals who have an interest in understanding political process, national ethnic policies, and multi-ethnic state formation. Also benefit those who are concerned about ethnic issues in Sri Lanka, Canada, Ethiopia, Australia, Yugoslavia, Cyprus, Spain, South Africa, India, and China. |
Grandin, Greg. (2000). The Blood of
Guatemala: A History of Race and Nation. Durham, NC: Duke University.
368 pp., ISBN: 0822324954 (pb), $18.95.
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In The Blood of Guatemala, Greg Grandin traces the history and politics of one Guatemalan highland town, Quetzaltenango, to examine issues of race, class, and state formation. Grandin's work is unique in that it focuses on the role of the Mayan K'iche' elites in the historical process of state formation and politics rather than on the Mayan lower-class or Ladino upper-class. Although Grandin's book is ultimately about economic dependence and racial division, his focus on the role that K'iche' elites played in the growth of Quetzaltenango and Guatemala's "coffee capitalism" adds an additional level of complexity to the usual "top-down" paradigm. In doing so, he reveals a much deeper account of racial and class issues in state formation and economic power. This work will most interest students who have some background in Guatemala or historical issues of state formation and economic development. With such background this book will help clarify the need to dismiss simplification in examining issues of state formation, historical process, and ethnic relations. His work also seeks to understand the reasons for the violent terror the Guatemalan state has enacted on its own citizens in the last few decades. |
Sarduy, Pedro P. and Stubbs,
Jean (Eds.). (2000). Afro-Cuban Voices: On Race and Identity in
Contemporary Cuba. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida. 312
pp., ISBN: 0822324954 (hc), $24.95.
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This engaging collection of interviews focuses on the issue of changing racial dynamics and experience in modern Cuba, featuring voices from Cubans of various ages, genders, and occupations, who introspectively reflected on their experiences as a black Cuban. Remarkable stories and interpretive perspectives are given from a Bata drum maker to doctors, journalists, and filmmakers. This collection of biographical accounts may serve as a good introduction for students who are interested in the subject matter. Each account offers a glimpse into not only the realities of being black and Cuban but also the historical, aesthetic, political, and cultural realities of their humanity. Despite the diversity of voices, a strong unity pervades the book. Gains made by the Cuban Revolution are widely acknowledged in terms of fostering racial equality in opposition to the Batista regime’s institutional racism . However, the rejuvenation of racism since the post-1980s economic crisis is candidly discussed. In identifying achievements, shortcomings, and challenges and reassessing racial dynamics during the post-Revolution era, this first-hand accounts and diverse perspectives will offer a solid foundation and welcomed introduction to this aim. |
Twine, France W. (1998). Racism
in a Racial Democracy: The Maintenance of White Supremacy in Brazil.
New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. 175 pp., ISBN: 0813523656 (pb),
$19.95.
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This monographic analysis of racism in Brazil is drawn upon the author's multi-year fieldwork in "a small town located in a coffee-growing region in Rio's northwestern interior" in Brazil. The author interviewed white and non-white Brazilians and observed their interactions with each other while staying with a local Afro-Brazilian family. Challenging the myth that Brazil is a racially democratic society, she exposes the racialized social structure tightly intertwined with the legacy of slavery and capitalistic economy. She concludes that the society is still stratified by race and class despite the fact that both white and non-white Brazilians deny racism. The strength of the book reflects the author's unrelenting and persistent investigative spirit which refused blindly to succumb to the local ethos and rhetoric of racial harmony. Her probing caused discomfort to many locals; yet, her analysis offers a valuable scholarly lesson of critical thinking in which she closely examined the reality incongruent with what natives said and believed. |
Unander, David. (2000). Shattering
the myth of race: Genetic Realities and Biblical Truths. Valley Forge,
PA: Judson Press. 127 pp., ISBN: 0817013172(pb), $14.00.
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Unander, a Christian geneticist, analyzes the myth of race from a biological, social, and biblical perspective. As an active participant of interracial reconciliation, the author experienced first-hand the pain caused by the depth of rift between races. He dissects the senselessness of the rift by explaining the genetic truth of human similarities in an accessible language. This book does not merely present a scientific discourse. With a mission against racism in his mind, the author pulls into this manageable volume his autobiographical account, conviction of the biblical truth, critique of the misuse of scientific information, and zeal for peace and reconciliation. His scholarly depth makes the book more than a personal essay; the breadth of issues covered makes the book more than a narrowly defined academic writing. Readers, both believers and non-believers, may find this book very engaging and informative in the scientific truth of race. |
Chiapas: The Inside Story. (1999). 40 minutes, color. Distributed by Films for the Humanities and
Sciences.
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This documentary is about the Mexican region of Chiapas that has made media headlines in the past decade due to the insurgence of the Zapatista Army for National Liberation (FZLN). The film's strength not only lies in examining contemporary developments but also in rooting them in greater historical circumstances. Social and economic development in Chiapas is examined and serves as a backdrop for more recent occurrences. The broader issue of underdevelopment is closely examined to better understand the situation of the indigenous peoples of the region. Focus is on extensive marginalization in the areas of political repression, land displacement, and lack of social services offered to the indigenous population. The film includes excellent documentation through interviews of a wide variety of people. Journalists, politicians, residents, and rebel leaders are all interviewed to offer a first-hand account of the region's problems, history, and contemporary uprising led by the FZLN. The film offers both the perspectives of people involved in the insurgency as well as historical background. This combination is not only educational but also insightful. (In Spanish with English subtitles) |
Diegues, Carlos (Director).
(1984). Quilombo. 114 minutes, color. Distributed by New Yorker Video.
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In 17th-century colonial Brazil, groups of runaway black slaves fled to the mountains where self-governing communities known as quilombos were formed. This film is a portrayal of one of the most famous quilombos, Palmares, which survived for many decades and thrived under a legendary chief known as Ganga Zumba. Encompassing folklore, politics, history, and military conflict, Quilombo attempts to portray an important aspect of Brazilian history from the viewpoint of the subjugated. Documenting the ongoing struggle between Portuguese colonizers and black slaves seeking independence, it offers a perspective not from the conquerors but from enslaved blacks seeking autonomy. This movie would be very appealing to junior high and high school students although necessary historical background information would be a requirement for a meaningful viewing. (Not rated but some violence; in Portuguese with English subtitles) |
Dube, Mickey Madoda (Director). (1998). A Walk in the Night. 78 minutes,
color. Distributed by California
Newsreel.
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A Walk in the Night is a scorching adaptation of Alex La Guma's 1962 novella, portraying the violence and brutality of modern South Africa. Focusing on the highly engaging story of Mikey, a young, "Coloured man," the film depicts the strained relations and violence which result from racism. Set in post-Apartheid Johannesburg, the film is grim and fierce in its cinematography. From the steel mills where Mikey works and is subsequently fired to the sordid apartment block where he lives, the desperate atmosphere of his life is evoked. Crime, police brutality, and racism mix with pressure, humiliation, and frustration that inevitably lead to an explosion. Disturbing in its realism, the tragic ending reveals a world where justice fades into darkness with circles of violence. (Not rated but strong language and violence; in English and Afrikaans with English subtitles) |
Ken Saro-Wiwa: An African Martyr. (1996). 23 minutes, color.
Distributed by Films for the Humanities and
Sciences.
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Ken Saro-Wiwa was a leading political and environmental activist in Nigeria before being hanged by the Nigerian government in 1995. He was a writer and a leader of the Ogoni people who challenged the Nigerian government and multinational oil companies that he accused of genocide against the Ogoni people. A long campaigner of rights for the Ogoni, he was arrested in 1994 and put on trial for fraudulent murder chargers. Incorporating extensive interviews that detail his opinions and thoughts, Saro-Wiwa states in this documentary that if nothing changes the Ogoni people will be extinct in ten years. Detailing their plight, Saro-Wiwa points to over 2,000 Ogoni killed, 90,000 Ogoni people displaced, villages razed, and Ogoni lands seized by multinational corporations and the Nigerian government for oil production. At the same time, no environmental restrictions are imposed on the oil producers, and no benefit, revenue, or compensation is offered to the Ogoni. Saro-Wiwa also discusses the destruction of land, air, and water resources through pollution, oil spills, and acid rain. The environmental degradation is in itself catastrophic, and its impact on the way of life of a people held in total disregard is the cause for which Saro-Wiwa fought. |
Sudan: On the Slave Trail. (1999). 24 minutes, color.
Distributed by Films for the Humanities and Sciences, www.films.com.
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Documenting the thriving practice of slave trading in Sudan today, this film may shock many of its viewers who believe slavery has been banned worldwide. What is most shocking is that the documentary is not based on hearsay but actually displays a slave trading transaction. Destabilized by a long civil war between the northern and southern regions of the country, slave trading is a practice tacitly sanctioned by the Sudanese government in their attempts to win the war. Dinka children from southern Sudan are stolen from their villages during slave raids and sold to wealthy Sudanese in the north who maintain a more "Arabized" identity. This film documents firsthand a large group of Dinka slaves purchased from their owners in the north in order to be freed and returned to the south. This purchase of freedom is paid for by various international aid agencies. Although some argue this practice increases the slave trade by making it more lucrative for the slave holders, the film is heart wrenching in showing the actual faces and lives of people destroyed by a horrifying practice. Even more debilitating is the realistic assessment of being unable to bring this practice to an end in the near future. Despite a bleak outlook for the near future, the film is an important work in bringing this matter to the attention of the international community. |
Ustaoglu, Yesin (Director). (1999). Journey to the Sun (Gunese Yolculuk).
104 minutes, color. Distributed by Celluloid Dreams.
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Made in Turkey, Germany, and the Netherlands, Journey to the Sun is an excellent portrayal combining a youth's coming-of-age story with the political and ethnic realities of the Turkish-Kurdish predicament. It is a film that will appeal to a wide audience of diverse interests and ages although it would be helpful for the viewer to have some background on the ethnic situation in Turkey. The story begins when the young protagonist, Mehmet, has moved to Istanbul to make a better life for himself. Shy and innocent, he befriends a Kurdish street merchant and later is mistaken as a Kurd and targeted by Turkish police. Imprisoned and beaten, he is later released to find that his friend has been killed by Turkish security forces. On a journey dedicated to returning his friend's unclaimed body to his family's village in southeastern Turkey, Mehmet hurdles bureaucracy, the army, lack of money, and the land itself. Along the way, the viewer is shown an assortment of images from urban to rural, from violence to friendship, and from life to politics until Mehmet's arrival at his final destination and the film's eerie, disturbing, conclusion. Controlled and somber, Journey to the Sun avoids clichés and delivers a realistic, thought-provoking performance which will remain in the viewer's mind. (Rated: PG; in Turkish and Kurdish with English subtitles) |
Campaigns and Conferences Against Racism
http://www.united.non-profit.nl
This website represents United for Intercultural
Action, a group that works to fight against racism, fascism, and extreme nationalism.
The group provides programs and
activities supporting migrants and refugees. Available in Dutch, French, and
English languages, the website contains
information on campaigns, conferences, organizations, and projects
directed against racism.
Learn About Roma (Gypsies)
http://www.romani.org
Dedicated to the culture and history of Roma (often referred to as
Gypsies), one of the most disregarded and misunderstood
ethnic groups in the world, the website intends to educate students and adults about the persecution and long and colorful background of the Roma
people. This site offers links to other Roma websites as well as a
bibliography on various Roma subjects and a music discography. It is an
excellent introduction and a resource for further independent study or classroom
use.
Searchlight: Magazine Against Racism
http://www.searchlightmagazine.com
Searchlight is an online magazine and international
organization with branches in the United States, Europe, and Australia dedicated
to fighting racism. The magazine features current event information, and lists
resources such as publications, campaigns, and speakers. Searchlight also works
with local media groups and schools as well as assisting with University
research projects to educate and lead campaigns against the dangers of racism.
Organization of Friendship Between Peoples
http://www.mrap.asso.fr
This is a website for the French organization, "Movement
against Racism for Friendship between Peoples." Founded in 1949, the
organization continues to be highly active. The website provides good
information about the organization's various activities, including activities
for children and youth. In addition, the website includes an impressive list of
resources, links, and campaigns for people interested in further study or
involvement.
Organization to Fight Racism
http://www.antifa.com
This website represents A.N.T.I.F.A., an organization founded
to combat racism and fascism. The website is in English and Dutch. While
the group
has local chapters worldwide, they are strongest in Western Europe. The site includes global news related to racism, a forum for discussion, and a
list of conferences, performances, campaigns, and other source material for
action against racism. It also includes excellent links to other groups with
similar goals.
Travel the World During the 14th
Century
http://nisus.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/Ibn
Battuta/Ibn Battuta Rihla.html
This beautiful creation of Nick Bartel and his
students at Horace Mann Middle School in San Francisco features a 14th-century Muslim, Berber Ibn Battuta of modern-day Morocco, who traveled the world
covering 75,000 miles
for nearly 30 years. The website traces Ibn Battuta's path and
exposes viewers to the world that Ibn Battuta encountered. Not only is this a
wonderful and well-organized website, but it also includes many activities and
project ideas that educators can implement in their own classrooms. It is an
exciting resource to use in the study of world cultures. Both teachers and
students will enjoy it.
United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum
http://www.ushmm.org/
Rich information on holocaust is provided in this site, organized in 5 sections:
education, research, history, remembrance, and conscience. In the education
section, suggestions are made to help maximize the educational impact of the
museum visit for teachers, students, adults, and scholars. Serious
students of holocaust may find the research and history sections immensely
helpful. Poignant images of holocaust in the remembrance section demand us
to remember the horrible history of prejudice, discrimination, and scapegoating.
Instead of limiting our conscience to the history of holocaust the conscience
section provides information on on-going tragedies of genocide in other parts of
the world. The site search function expands the user's capacity for the
use of the site.
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